Solo
by NancyMay
Summary: A Jean story, inspired by listening to a concert given by a local choir, and Nadine Garner's sweet singing voice.


There was a knock at the door,

'I'll get it!' Jean opened the door to see Robert, the director of the church drama group. She had not been able to join in lately, marriage to Lucien had taken her time, getting used to being Mrs Blake and changes in the way things were organised at home, had all interfered. So she had given up the drama group, for now.

'Hello, Robert,' she smiled, Jean smiled a lot these days, 'What can I do for you?'

'Hello, er, Jean,' Robert still held a torch for her, sadly, he'd missed out, missed his chance to marry the most eligible widow in Ballarat, but he did not hold a grudge. He thought enough of Jean to wish her all the best.

'Come in,' she stepped aside, and let him enter.

Over a cup of tea Robert relaxed enough to put his proposal to her.

'Jean, you know we are doing a concert to raise funds for the war survivors benefit?' He said.

'Yes,' she smiled, 'Robert, Lucien is a survivor of a camp. We are only too happy to help.'

'It's just that we need someone to look after the choir boys before they sing. We have a professional soprano to sing the solo in the Ave Maria, but the boys...'

'Will be boys.' Jean grinned. Jack had been a chorister, he had had a lovely voice but was a terror during rehearsals. Letting loose a field mouse was one of his ideas, and the rest of the choir had run, screaming, from the church.

'I'd be happy to engage them during the performance. Do you want me to entertain them during rehearsals as well?'

'Oh please, would you?' Robert heaved a sigh of relief.

She showed Robert out and assured him she would be at the next rehearsal.

'Where will you be?' Lucien whispered in her ear as she closed the door.

'At rehearsal for the benefit concert.' She turned and kissed his cheek, 'I've been asked to look after the choir boys, stop them getting up to mischief.'

'Sounds like a good idea to me,' Lucien grinned, 'they won't misbehave with Mrs Blake around!'

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Over the next two weeks Jean supervised the boys from the choir. She took books and activities to occupy them while they waited until it was their turn to perform. They knew Doctor Blake had served and survived the war and the camps, it was common knowledge, and they wanted to know what he had gone through. Jean could only tell them it was horrible, desperate, but they were too young to be told the truth about his suffering. One day, perhaps, she said, if they wanted, maybe Dr Blake would tell them, but, please don't ask him now, it's still too raw, she told them.

Jean enjoyed herself behind stage. The boys frequently sang while they were waiting, not necessarily the Ave Maria, but anything they liked, anything they had heard, including a lovely harmonised version of 'Stop Hanging on me Baby.' That made her smile, the song that Lucien had turned into a ballad while trying to work out how the young singer had died. She had sung while he played, probably the first time they had connected.

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'Lucien!' Jean called, 'I'm off to get the choir ready for the performance.'

'Right,' he called from the surgery where he was just finishing the records.

'Charlie,' Jean turned to their lodger, 'please make sure he gets there on time.'

'No worries, Jean,' Charlie grinned, 'he'll be there.' If I have to knock him out and carry him there , thought Charlie.

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The concert was going well, a mixture of comedy, music and excerpts from plays to interest everyone. Jean and the boys were quite happy, playing a board game while they waited. They knew they had to be quiet, not be heard until it was their turn.

Robert appeared at her elbow.

'Mrs Blake,' he motioned that he wanted to talk to her out of earshot of the choir, 'we have a problem.'

'What's wrong?' Jean gasped, had something happened to Lucien, ' is it my husband?'

'No, oh, sorry, no,' Robert realised he hadn't phrased it well and had frightened her. 'Miss Swindell, who was to sing the solo hasn't arrived. Apparently she has a throat infection and can't sing!'

'Oh Lord!' Jean exclaimed, 'what are you going to do?'

'Jean,' Robert looked into her eyes, 'Jean you have a lovely voice, I've sat next to you in church, will you...'

'No"!' Jean was aghast, 'Robert, I haven't sung in public since I was six, I can't!'

'Please, Jean,' he implored, 'the boys love you, they'll follow you...'

Jean looked down at her clothes, a skirt and blouse, not what she could be seen in on stage. She spread her arms to indicate she was not dressed for an appearance on stage If she didn't sing then the boys, her boys, would not have the chance to shine. Could she? Should she? Lucien was in the audience, she hoped, he would be so...

'Alright, Robert,' she whispered, 'but could you find Nurse O'Brien?'

'Err...yes, but...'

'Don't worry,' Jean smiled, 'she has access to the house and can go and get me something more suitable to wear.'

Mattie was summoned and sent to get the blue and white dress she had travelled in to Adelaide a year ago. Jean changed quickly under Mattie's charge. 'Don't tell Lucien,' Jean urged.

'I won't,' Mattie winked conspiratorially and hurried back to her seat.

'Anything wrong, Mattie?' Lucien was concerned.

'No,' she grinned, just a bruised knee, those boys...' and she rolled her eyes.

The choirboys assembled at the front of the stage. Clad in their robes of white and red, they stood erect, still and solemn. A voice from the back of the stage, clear but slightly wobbly, intoned the first six notes,

'A-ve Mari-i-a,' Jean nervously sang, a stillness fell on the room and she found her confidence. Closing her eyes she sang as if no one was listening. The boys' voices rose in unison as she ended the verse and repeated the prayer. She moved forward into the middle of the boys, who instinctively crowded round her, protectively.

The applause was deafening, Lucien, Charlie and Mattie were on their feet. Tears rolled down Lucien's face, pride and love on show for all of Ballarat to see.

The finale of the concert had always been 'We'll meet again,' to be started by the solo soprano, and Jean suddenly found herself leading the good folk of Ballarat in a chorus of the song. It was a shaky start for all of two notes, but Lucien joined in, moving to her side on the stage and, with his arm around her waist, implored those present to raise their voices.

Robert congratulated Jean on stage and in private behind the scenes, and had the nerve to ask if she would do it next year. She laughed, but did not decline the invitation.

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Back home Lucien couldn't stop kissing and hugging her, he was so immensely proud of his wife, and was sure the town was too, but they couldn't show their appreciation in the way he could!

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Nadine Garner has a sweet voice and it is not used enough in the show, so I decided to give her a chance to shine.


End file.
